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Operation No. 309

BATTERY POSITION PANTELLERIA ISLAND (NO. 17)

Wednesday, 9 June 1943

Over target: 0844 hrs Landed: 0935 hrs Time: 07:52 hrs

Sortie Report (Form 541)

Duty
Medium level bombing attack on battery position No. 17 PANTELLERIA ISLAND. Time Height. Place
R.A.F. Form 441 A. SORTIE REPORT 'H' 151 (Part A.) FIRST OPERATION OF DAY.
Sheet No. 1 Oprep. Ref. No. 309 Date. 9 JUN 43 Squadron. 21 SAAF.Type of Aircraft. 12 Baltimores Captain Formation LeaderAircraft No. (8 Mk. 111 & 4 Mk. 111A) Maj. SchravesandeAircraft Letter. See reverse. Crew. Lt. Campbell (Observer)See reverse.Time Up. 0752 hrs. (1st. A/C)Time Down. 0935 hrs. (Last A/C) Aerodrome or L.G. SOLIMAN NORTH L.G.Total Time. 18 hrs. 00 mins.Type of Cloud. St.Cu. Map or ChartAmount of Cloud. 8/10 off SW coast of Island, and Reference.Base of Cloud. EAST coast of CAP BON.1000 ft. FRENCH NORTH AFRICAVisibility. Good. 1:500,000 TUNISGeneral Weather. Good. (Sheet NJ.32.SE)PANTELLERIA 1:25,000 &Substitute Map 1A.Task or Duty. Medium level bombing attack on battery position No. 17PANTELLERIA ISLAND.Time Height. Place. Narrative. Base Airborne. Circling.
1500 " S/C RAS EL FORTASS.
2000 FORTASS Picked up fighter escort & S/C KELIBIA 100 deg. (6 P40's 33rd. Bomber Escort)
4500 KELIBIA S/C Target 095 deg. M.
8700 TARGET Bombed from 8000 ft. on course of 160 deg. Left hand turn off.
7500 off " S/C 275 deg. for point 5 miles NORTH KELIBIA losing height down to 1000 ft.
1500 N.KELIBIA S/C 270 deg. across peninsula.
BASE Last A/C landed.
PART B (on reverse) to be completed according to relevant pro-forma in H.Q. R.A.F. M.E. Instruction 34.PMEJ - 200,000 - 3/42 P.T.O. Part "B"
BA Battery position PANTELLERIA ISLAND (No. 17)BB 0844 hrs. L.T.BC Medium level bombing attack from 8000 ft. Course 155 - 160 deg.22 x 500 G.P. )8 x 500 S.A.P.) Tail fused. Pistol No. 28. Det. 49.18 x 500 M.C. )BD Formation attacked in two boxes of six in line astern on individualbox leaders. Bombs of the first box fell in the sea in line withthe coast from pp. F 226049. No. 2 box straddled the target withone stick, scoring near misses on the buildings and gun positions.The rest of the bombs burst to the EAST of the positions towardsF 225046.BE Fair number of HAA guns firing, but bursts were at 5/6000 ft. andbehind formation.BF Nil.BG Obliques and Verticals taken. Speed 210 IAS. Course 155 deg.BH Two arrows on PANTELLERIA L.G. pointing NORTH and SOUTH. Theseappeared to point out what looked like a serviceable runway.Fire on Mt. GRANDE.Four fairly large unidentified ships at UP 8468 at 0806 hrs. List of A/C and Crews:
F/L 142 P Maj. Schravesande, Lt. Campbell, F/Sgts. Meyer & Stopforth.957 W Lt. Wood, Lt. Gould, F/Sgts. Purdon & Groenewald.368 X Lt. Clutterbuck, Lt. v.d. Meulen, F/Sgts. Raeburn & Carbarns.V/L 167 S Capt. Smit, Lt. Kay, F/Sgts. Toms & Wright.916 R Lt. Simpson, Lt. Handley, F/Sgts. Roberts V.P. & Shepperson.221 Y Lt. Eaton, Lt. McDermot, Sgt. Freestone (RNZAF) & F/Sgt. Gilder(RAF)B/L 345 E Capt. McBride, Lt. Pickerill, F/Sgts. Daniels & White.977 L Lt. Meredith, Lt. Herring, F/Sgt. Smith S.C. & F/Sgt. Prout(RAF290 C Lt. Blieden, Lt. Rose, F/Sgts. Jarvis & Perkins.V/L 930 K Lt. Hamilton, Lt. Whittle, F/Sgts. van Rooyen & Phelan.352 D Lt. Dugmore, Lt. Masters, F/Sgts. Maasdorp & Rogers. C.L.271 F Lt. Guard, Lt. Forssman, F/Sgts. Green & de Villiers. F/L Formation Leader. B/L Box Leader. V/L Vic Leader.
[Signature] ....................Capt. S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON, S.A.A.F.